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Teen sensation Davies leads Whitecaps to 5-2 drubbing of Orlando City

Vancouver star scores once, helps on three more
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Orlando City goalkeeper Joe Bendik, right, grabs the ball away from Vancouver Whitecaps’ Kei Kamara as he attempts to get his head on it during the second half of an MLS soccer game in Vancouver, on Saturday June 9, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER — Teenager Alphonso Davies scored one goal and set up three others as the Vancouver Whitecaps defeated Orlando City SC 5-2 Saturday to win their first game on home turf in over a month.

Davies three assists sets a Whitecaps record.

Striker Kei Kamara scored twice for Vancouver, once on a penalty kick in the 85th minute, to break out of a scoring drought. Yordy Reyna and Nicolas Mezquida scored the other Whitecaps goals.

Forward Sacha Kljestan scored for Orlando when the Lions were playing with just 10 men. Mohamed El-Munir was sent off after receiving his second yellow card in the 58th minute. Dominic Dwyer scored Orlando’s other goal four minutes into injury time.

Davies, who doesn’t turn 18 until November, snapped a 1-1 draw in the 76th minute. Midfielder Jordon Mutch took a shot that goalkeeper Joe Bendik stopped with a diving save. Davies scored on the rebound.

Davies also made a pretty run to set up Kamara’s goal in the 36th minute. He stole the ball near midfield, made several nifty moves to get past three Orlando players, then dished off a pass to Kamara.

It was the veteran striker’s first goal from the run of play in seven games, although he did score on a penalty kick May 19 against Dallas.

Kamara scored on a penalty kick after Reyna was knocked down the box.

Davies also made pretty passes to set up goals by Reyna in the 87th minute and Mezquida in the 90th.

RELATED: Whitecaps hope Davies provides needed relief

Midfielder Tony Rocha set up Kljestan’s third goal of the season in the 64th minute. He dribbled the ball to the side of the net, then sent a pass into the box were Kljestan was left unmarked.

The Whitecaps (6-5-5) won back-to-back games for the first time since the opening two matches of the season. Vancouver heads into a two-week World Cup break undefeated in six games (2-0-4). A sellout crowd of 22,120 also watched Vancouver win at home for the first time since April 27.

Orlando City (6-7-1) lost its fifth consecutive MLS match.

Reyna now had three goals and three assists in the last five.

Vancouver goalkeeper Brian Rowe had to make a big save in the 21st minute. Orlando’s Will Johnson pounced on a loose ball in the centre of the box and blasted a left-footed shot toward the corner of the net. A leaping Rowe was able to get a hand on the ball and steer it over the net.

NOTES: Referee Jose Carlos Rivero handed out seven yellow cards, five to Orlando. … Whitecaps midfielder Felipe made his 200th MLS start, 208th regular season appearance. … Vancouver midfielder Efrain Juarez and his wife Carlotta celebrated the birth of their second child Saturday, a 7.5-pound girl. …Defender Doneil Henry of Brampton, Ont., played his first home game since the Whitecaps acquired him in December. … Orlando will travel over 12,800 kilometres and play three games in a 10-day stretch. The Lions beat Miami Wednesday night in a U.S. Open Cup fourth-round match and play the Impact in Montreal Wednesday.

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press